Archive for July, 2012

Rarely do I feature my prowess for attacking chess. At my age you can understand that my own talent seemed to reach the clouds in my 40s where I reached 2350 and 2210+ but my victories waned as I turned to journalism and writing that included a few poems and short stories with one novel I had started as a series. As time goes by on the chessboard of Life, so too, the old noggin just seems to falter at the climax. I rarely tackle the computer and last a 10-game match I managed a couple draws and wins against a GM training him for a Dubai Open he entered. I lost that one pretty bad for a 10-gamer but my wife dislike the long hours spent so I tried to hurry to my chagrin. Over-the-board just got too much with the faster time-controls that crippled my nerves finally and I looked at myself in the mirror and simply said, “what am I doing this for because I can’t enjoy the fight anymore.”

On a rare occasion I get the bug again and torment my foes who never know when I shall play above my current rating skill of class A. Maybe my game analysis of Paul Keres’ game review of his masterpieces turned on the light–at least just one more time! For this game, I hope you excuse my reinstating my expert classification.

Although the Depression of 1929 left many in shock and the next decade was ominous for all Americans, it was a triumph for US chess teams who dominated the Chess Olympics during the 1930s with a roster of chess talent probably not seen since. There was an array of stars that could have joined together at least three powerhouses: Weaver Adams, Sid Bernstein, Arthur Dake, Arnold Denker, Reuben Fine, Milton Hanover, Herman Helms, I. A. Horowitz, Isaac Kashdan, Al Kevitz, Edward Lasker, Frank Marshall, Harold Morton*, Al Pincus, Fred Reinfeld, Samuel Reshevsky, Les Samuels, Anthony Santasiere, George Shainswit, Al Simonson, Herman Steiner, E. Tholfsen, George Treysman, and Robert Willman. With the depression many of the chess talent in America settled on the west or east coast. New York was considered the center of chess power in America.

Play for the US Team in the Olympics was hampered by the cost and many could not participate by accepting an invitation. The general rule of the Day was to play for glory’s sake, not any financial reward which proved nil. So basically it was a love to compete at the highest possible level–if you could afford it!

American chess would’ve lost decades of prospective growth and talent had it not been for Israel Albert Horowitz’s vision ignoring the pundits who said his dream magazine was not practical. He enlisted the services of Isaac Kashdan in partnership and financial backing from his friend Fritz Brieger, managing to rent a loft at 60-10 Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, NY, where the picture chess magazine of Al Horowitz’ dream was born.: Chess Review. Life was a hardship for Al Horowitz: he barnstormed across the country giving free lectures and simuls to anyone who subscribed to Chess Review, and had the favor of a number of magazine retail outlets that helped publicize chess. The picture magazine and excellent news coverage and articles drew many to it.

Tragedy struck down his friend Harold Morton* in a car crash and landed Horowitz in the hospital, and while surviving, lost the hearing in one ear.

He once roomed with Art Denker and shared many a meal of beans, bread and coffee. Their rent bill was called ‘a duebill’ which to Denker’s memory was never paid. Chessplayers hung out together in those days at the major NYC clubs where small bets often was all the money gained for a meager existence. Such small wagers on games helped many times to meet expenses. In those days, a friend was a true friend and the night manager at the Lincoln Hotel coined the word ‘duebill’ and Al or roommate never got charged.

One bright spot during this era was Mr. Brieger’s generosity of the 1936 Philadelphia US Open. Once again Mr. Brieger who was obviously a patron saint of chess made possible the first official US Championship which was held at the Astor Hotel in New York City. It was a greatly attended tournament with as many as 500 attending the rounds with newspaper coverage of every round and interviews. Still, after the event, chess once again bowed to a more popular sport menu. Another bright spot was the success of the Postal Chess Department in Chess Review.

I have mentioned elsewhere my own trips to the Manhattan Club on numerous weekend passes while at Fort Dix and personally meeting many of the masters of the day. Al Horowitz was often there as his usual routine where memories expressed his exuberant energies as burning the candle at both ends. He was a great storyteller, often slapping his leg in great laughter at funny stories he related. At times, he would come up with questions for listeners such as: “Did you ever see the tail of a south end of a horse running north?” He regularly would sit down at his favorite table at the Manhattan club and played with the a-pawn at a3 and Queen Knight in the box. He was a terrific attacking player and without the Knight blocking the a-Rook got rapid development and use of that heavy piece. His success was quite high because of this. But the twinkle in his eyes, and happy nature of such fast play was not so much trademark as a truly love affair with chess from his magazine to his game play and club friendships. There was a bit of humorous larceny in some of his positions. For example, one chap mentioned that he was about to move a piece and Al leaned over and whispered, “You know that we are playing touch move, don’t you?” Well, it unnerved the opponent who suspected the winning move actually was losing so would choose another, and Al would slap his knee after the win in joyful glee.

His life was all chess. He remained financially under some pressure until in later life he sold Chess Review to the United States Chess Federation. After a full day at Chess Review he would be seen popping in at the Marshall Chess Club around 7 pm or so after supper, and later seen at Bobby Fischer’s 42nd Street Emporium kibitzing on games in play, and later around 11 pm at the Manhattan Chess Club, giving Knight-odds to all until closing time. Even in more serious moods, when asked why he never took vacations, he responded: “Trying to kill me?”

Years of abuse– heavy smoking, lack of exercise, and being a workaholic became a death sentence. He was dying, and yet with tears in his eyes, he noted to Art Denker, his longtime friend, “We had some good times didn’t we.” He died on January 18th 1973 at the age of 65.

Israel Albert Horowitz followed his star–his dream, a man of rare courage at the board and in penning some great chess books: an unselfish workaholic for chess–The Royal Game!!!

He played in 8 US Championships over 3 decades and a half scoring some dazzling victories in the early rounds only to fall off at the end. More than likely, this was due to his enormous work in chess which was most important to him and keeping Chess Review top quality.

A lot of folks wonder why I chose chess as a major theme in my writings; it was because it reflects much of human nature in its laws just as our laws that govern us in and for America. The foundations are likewise similar in many ways. Just think about it. The topic is not about chess. Nor is this article one that I thought up as part of the passing scene of American life. No. It concerns the ruthless and sick part of our society that hides under the umbrella of “It Takes a Village.” Yes, the reference points directly at the laws instituted through Hilary Clinton’s book and put into law by her husband, President William Clinton with the praise of the Liberal Establishment and Democrat Party. Perhaps this is just another nail in the coffin of what should be the end of political correctness as cherished in the halls of Congress–the liberal wing of the Democrat Party. I said again in case you missed it!

Never heard of Freedom Village which is the baby of Fletcher Brothers who, with Monique (a pseudonym), is out to expose the corruption within the government laws allowing skullduggery and hope to repeal the “Adoption and Safe Families Act” that came about probably due to Clinton’s,” It Takes a Village.” F. Brothers is one person who is committed to take on the government-run child trafficking racket by exposing it on radio and TV. If successful, it can be stopped by a public outcry.

The days of old when crusading editors and newspapers exposed such corruption exists no more. You may have heard of former State Senator from Georgia, Nancy Schaefer; she was a fighter and led the efforts by legislation to correct the evils of the Child Protective Services (CPS). After considerable work on exposing the corruption and public waste both in dollars and child abuse, both she and her husband were found shot to death. The government decided it was murder and suicide. HOGWASH!!!

Apparently there is a lot of money to be made in this government racket. Most abide by the laws and are helpful. What was meant to be a God-send for aid to young people and adults seems to have become a haven for loving money who abuse the law. These corrupters have their financial reward; God will have justice and avenge through his angel Michael those who are guilty of murder. No one ever escapes his vengeance! No human vengeance is necessary. It will all be taken care of by his Holy Angel. In time, those evil-doers will meet their ends in death or illness. And God have mercy on their lost souls.

As I have reported before, there is no Social Security Fund. Governor Perry of Texas called the Social Security System nothing more than a Ponzi Scheme.

Politicians that sit in the two Houses of Congress are guilty. Should we hang them?

The old westerners used to hang rustlers and horse thieves. Does Congress deserve any other fate? Because in cases of the old west, cattlemen and cowboys depended upon livestock for survival. The retirees today depend on our social security checks for survival. The ability for both groups depended upon two things–the need for mobility (travel) and food.

If this were the only fraud perpetrated on the American people, hanging the s.o.b. politicians might be extreme. But another fraud is now uncovered–the Medicare System has also been raided by these hungry wasteful nerds. And God knows what else will be proved as a well calculated theft of public funds– a rip-off of the American public.

Americans seem to be living in a huge bubble where the babble of politicians succeed because no one dares bring them to justice for their crimes. Hemp is needed. Do we have an honest Justice Department?? A lot of questions and suspicions remain on all Federal programs and departments.

And we live in such a good country and of good people. The citizens deserve better.

Zechariah 1-3 affirms my earlier commentary about our relationship with God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. Although written thousands of years past, the lesson from these passages strikes to the heart and nature of our current times. Isn’t this really true and evident from our desire to know and worship God? Today, God is often spoken of by believers, less by politicians and educators who, in their secular blindness rely upon themselves and others for solutions to problems that seem to affix them by consensus, shrouding with babble the toxic words that defy logic. The goal is to pass the buck without addressing the problem(s). Throughout the Bible the words believing and faith are intertwined. Belief and Faith are not LOVE. They are of a personal unification with God, Jesus and Holy Spirit. Thus, they exist on a higher plane from that of LOVE which is a balloon of watered down sentiment not to be confused with Earthly joy. The word LOVE is simply not to be confused with Belief and Faith.

As a Conservative minded student of history, I have come to the conclusion that much of modern-day teachings about religion and even the Christian life is based upon liberalized theology where the Bible is less studied and practiced being replaced by scholars who seem to have an agenda foreign to Biblical understanding. Often religious books spout the author(s) personal views, perhaps not intentionally but ignore the foundation of principles that came from the Word through civilized history. Churches are not free of error.

We often hear the term Anti-Christ who will come as a liar but believed by the masses because our true relationship with God is undermined by his corrupters. It is this very reason why I have ventured to try to educate. If I am wrong (and how I would like to be in this case) but my heart tells me to speak the truth as I compose my words with as much care as my limited ability permits. I feel the time grows short when the evil one will cloud the world population with falsehoods.

Our Nation, under the guidance of God, has made the worldly as safe and at peace as our treasury and goodness of our people permits. Our ideology and our freedoms have long been under attack by nations that envy and hate us. Now, it has even gone through a revitalization of hatred of us by secular religions such as Islam. We are told that Islam is a peaceful religion. Yet, time and again the islamic terror think nothing to murder, rape, destroy the Christian, Jewish, and yes, even people of Islam faith which includes even their own children, brothers or sisters for a doctrine that speaks only of an evilness completely foreign to our beliefs, yet tolerated by our government which I believe is the birthing of the coming of the Anti-Christ. Our GIs in death or from wounds have caused hardships and more on our families who fight to defend our freedoms. When our Nation and the joys of ever seeking peace and happiness for ourselves and our goodness through charity, giving to people round the world, is battered by the likes of the United Nations that seeks a one-world government and condemns America for its greed has no supporting fact; just look at our lead in winning two world wars and trying to help those who want to live free as we in their own nations. The evil of Nazism and Fascism was conquered by the grace of God’s intervention at times when we seemed lost in England and America. Read the history books. Can any explanation be more clear.

I said a mouthful; it had to be said! We live in a dangerous time, perhaps no greater, and our national backbone has been smitten by the likes of liberalism, socialism, and communism, and bad teachings, and lopsided media agenda reporting that is not based upon fact. Socialism is evil; communism is more evil. And just how much do liberals contribute to charity? The latest reports say that conservatives give much more in contributions than do liberals. But the greatest debacle in liberalism is that it tends to turn communities into welfare dependents which kill many dreams to a better life.

The Bible represents a lifetime walk. God talks to each of us through His Word coming from biblical scripture. The wondrous joy for those who seek the Lord in youth is reflected in family love as parents form a religious bond of biblical study often expressed in story telling that only children can truly learn and appreciate. Parental instruction is important because children are nurtured by family love of self, brothers and sisters, and mostly for mom and dad. From this knowledge, the children and adult parents reaffirm their scriptural learning to accept as true what is said about God as well as the awareness of the fallen angels headed by the deceiver Satan. The family seeks the fellowship of Christian believers through church membership, participation and support.

Jesus remarked, “Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me.” –John 12/44.

Those who seek the Lord does require a personal relationship which is found through prayer. Prayer is the communication on a personal level with the Lord as taught by Jesus to his disciples when they asked him how to pray. Remember, that he always went off by himself when he prayed to the Father and they needed his help to conduct their own prayers which would have meaning and God’s acceptance.

Belief in God turns on everything about God in Scripture. Faith creates humans as Christians from which they believe in life before, during and after death. That belief becomes a part of the soul and spirit giving all desired blessings toward the fulfillment of a Godly relationship. Such living faith and belief comes to us in the first commandment: I am the Lord your God….Never bow down to any false gods. It is said that an evil spirit within man cannot experience this relationship–it being like a wall having no gate to pass through.

This reminds me of President Clinton who asked what the word “is”, is. Blessed are your eyes because you can see; blessed are your ears because they hear; blessed is your brain because you can think. Thus, in our relationship and understanding of God, the little word “in” fits our usage of or belief: …”In God we trust; In God the Father; In Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit. God, in His Word, gives us the road down which we tread the paths of goodness and evil, enabling us to know the difference.

Our linkage of a close relationship and belief in God comes from prayer which I tend to see as influence of Paul that it is restricted to Faith/Belief as if tied in a knot. I see nothing in Biblical teachings that say that the sinner has to have poetic drama of long duration and cleverness of words to find pleasure from God. In fact, God likely doesn’t look upon such prayer kindly. God doesn’t want to be deceived by polished rhetoric where the purpose is to enlighten the audience, whether it be at a table setting or group at a church or picnic outing. The prayer giver in those cases has his or her reward but not a Heavenly bell toll. The prayers of little children are special joy to the Father in Heaven.

If I had to grade the current ups and downs of modern politics in this race toward the White House and both Houses, it saddens me as a long time Conservative-values voter to witness the slipshod manner of President Obama’s opposition that seems bent on winning the whole game as if it were a foregone certainty. As every chess player knows, that is a dangerous evaluation of the game plan and likely can backfire on the optimistic projection of what is reality.

Americans often support the underdog, the politician who has the guts to fight like a dog and claw like a cat when his very life depends on it. A good example is the media’s naming Dewey as President ahead of the vote count only to see Harry S. Truman riding the rails and stopping in every hick town and city to make his own case for support of the voters and that turned the tables. Remember that Harry S. Truman was not well thought of as successor to Roosevelt who took him on as his running mate and history may well point to Harry S. Truman as one leader of foresight and greatness for his steadfastness. His biggest problem, like those of the current crop of candidates, was his dislike of the Republican Party.

President Obama sees the Republicans and Conservatives as philosophical and pragmatic institutions far removed from his own socialistic liberalism and progressive stance for all decisions. That is why he tells the flock that Romney wants to turn back the pages of history. A liar cannot retain wisdom but see it drift like the winds of history. Harry S. Truman was honest and was not known as a liar. Barack Obama has been called a liar legitimately because he twists the facts and truth to fit his insatiable need for control and power.

My earlier review of the candidates suggested I favored Santorum because I liked his fighting spirit and spicy manner of going most of the way (as it turned out) where failure rested with the low financial support and non backing of the powers within the Party. I called Mitt Romney a pure and simple opportunist and I thought then that I was kind to use that phrase. Frankly speaking, the literature I receive which numbers in the dozens asking for financial support lack a real vibrant and powerful message package but rather simply the same old tone and comments that sure do not set my seat on fire. Wish it did! The literature reminds me of past failures such as 2008 to put spark and truth into the rhetoric. As you recall, or read my essay back then in 2007 or 2008, the then Barack Obama, classy newcomer with no experience, went on to lead the children and many adults like the Pied Piper in the fairytale.

The difference between 2008 and now is that the President has gained experience and manages to quell with his skillful oratory the mistakes of the past. Before he would not co-operate with the opposition, and with lack of real leadership integrity forced through what has turned from a deep and dark hole to one of light where the evils of the whole system now can be weighed and exposed for the fallacy of green youthful optimism. His view is to rewrite history as he sees it knowing many citizens lack the interest for accuracy but rely upon our leaders to govern as they see fit. What the President says must be true because it would be cruel to say he is a liar.

The whole concept of being GREEN, like it was a wonderful and wholesome proof of smarts that the environmentalists hold dear, has shown a horrible turn of events. In both cases the bird life suffers. The green windows put in buildings find birds crashing into them and dying by the thousands. Same with the windmills that effect the migration of much bird life. These are just two light examples of the fallacies of so-called ‘good change.’ So what do the environmental nuts think about their brainstorming now?!

My own view is that the country cannot stand another 4-years of deceit, lies, half-truths and staff in power that have shortchanged our honorable nation with whims of getting along for the sake of getting along. Our Nation suffers and no amount of honey coating is going to fix the mess Obama handed us; remember that voters asked for it–they got it but it was not what most expected.

My comments do not alter for a moment my belief that Mitt Romney can win but only if the effort made is more than strawberries on sponge cake with whipped cream.

By the way, my vote would be for former military leader Allen West for Vice President. Is anyone listening??